US2077970A - Nut marking device - Google Patents

Description

pril 20, 1937. .L E. TRUNK 2,077,970 U NUT MARKING DEVICE i Filed June 18, 1954 s sheets-sheet 1 A// if 9 /53 a Y Cj; i f4? /56235 Y 4% 2f 77 m5756773?, 7/ 4/ April 20, 1937. J. E. TRUNK NUT MARKING DEVICE April 20, 1937. J. E. TRUNK 2,077,970

7 NUT MARKING DEVICE Filed June 18, 1934 5 Shetsheet 3 Y Y lll a 7 v /7/\ 77 W3', l j

@iK-LLIlI/llllllllllllllll||lllllllllllllllllllllllll lum /76 y 257 /78 /Z//f 5/57 W 250 iiiiiiiis .55 4-4 of Figure 3; In the forms shown, the pins of the sprocket 55 .Patente-d Apr. Zi), 1937 UNITED stares earner oie-FICE NUT MARKING DEVICE John E. Trunk, Newberg, Greg.

Application June 18, 1934, Serial No. 731,123

Claims. (Cl. 101-37) The present invention has to do with a device Figure 5 is a sectional view of one of the carfor marking or branding nuts and like articles. rier belt bars through one of the cups, on line The problem of such branding is made difficult by 5 5 of Figure 3; the many variations in size of the objects to be Figure 6 is an end View of the printing rollen 5 branded, their uneven surfaces, and the fact that with part of one bar thereon 'Cut aWey t0 a SeC- 5 they are not regular in shape. Since they are tional View through one of the rubber dies rarely spherical they must be placed and held therein, 011 lihe 6 5 0f Figure 8;

in some particular position While being marked. Figure 7 iS an end View 0f the printing and ink- The most obvious way of branding such objects ring frame with the end frame removed but inlo is to make an ink impression on their tops as they dicated by dotted lines; I lo pass on a belt under a. printing apparatus. When Figure 8 is a plan view of the printing and this is done the variations in size make necessary 'inking frame; and a sorting of the objects to be branded or else Figure 9 is a View of the carrier belt ShOWirlg some way of compensating for the comparatively details thereof. i5 wide variance. This necessity either increases Like reference characters are used to designate 15 the cost or reduces the eiciency of the device. Similar parts irl the drawings and in the descrip- The objects of this invention are to avoid those tion of the invention hereinafter giVerland similar dilculties and are as follows: The main SuppOrtihg Structure for the device A new and improved machine for marking is a frame 20, made of metal beams or other suitnuts and like articles not of uniform size and able materials bolted, riveted or welded together. 20

shape. There are four upright pieces, 2 I, joined by hori- A device for placing a stamp uniformly upon Zontal beams 22 at the top, 23 in the middle, and uneven rounded 4small articles such as nuts. 24 et the betteln, 0h the Tight Side, 25 at the top,

A marking device allowing properly for differ- 26 in the middle and 2l aty the bottom on the ences in size and shape of articles to be marked. left Side, and CrOSS pieCeS 28, 29 aud 30, and 3|, 25

An eicient and economical branding machine. 32, and 33 at the ehdS- The ehtire frame may A marking device capable of operating at high be mounted on casters or Wheels 34, so that it speed. may be moved about.

A marking device capable of handling rapidly At one end of the machine, there is e hopper large quantities cf articles to be marked. 35, and et the other e Seeking chute 36 having 30 A novel structure for carrying belts for small tWO OutletsY 37 alhd 33, and 2f mOi/able Vane 39, articles. operated by handle 49 to deflect branded nuts or Ancvei structure for wading smaii articles ente other articles into one or the other outlet. a conveyor. Mounted above the chute 35, or at some other A novel device for seating small articles in a Piece, may be e SWitCh bOX 4i fOr Starting and 35 conveyor. stopping the device.

A novel inking device for marking rollers, The bottom 42 of the hopper does not extend A novel structure for printing rollers entirely to the lowest part thereof, but terminates A novel adjustable carriage and adjusting above that point. To this abbreviated bottom means for printing and inking rollers, there is fastened, as by screws 43 or in any other 40 A novel structure for holding articles to be Way, 2t Sheet 0f elasticeiiy fieXible material 44, printed, such as sheet metal.

A novel Way and device for presenting Smal] The eXble Sheet 415 eXtelldS entirely aCIOSS articles to a printing roller or device for marking. the hopper and fO'rmS et CODtiiluatiOrl 0f the bot- 45 Many other objects will appear from the detem 0f the hOpper. At the Other edge 0f the 45 scription of the machine hereinafter given. sheet eil, there iS atteehed 2- heeVier piece 0f m2- In the drawings of the illustrated embodiment tefidl i5 e150 extending entirely aCrOSS the hOD- of the invention; per and forming a further extension of the ab- Figure 1 is an elevation of the right hand side hrevieted bottom. The niece 45 is heavy enough 5o of such machine; to carry rigidly tail pieces 46 which are fastened 50 Figure 2 is an elevation of the left hand side t0l it ih arly desirable Wayy eS by bolts 41. of the machine shown in Figure 1; The carrying device consists of a continuous Figure 3 is a plan view of the same machine; belt 48 comprising chains 49 at each side to Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View on line which are fastened carrier bars in the usual Way.

chains 49 hold links 5| which are bolted to the ends of the carrier bars.

In each carrier bar there are a plurality of recesses 52 to receive articles 53 to be marked. The recesses 52 are cup shaped, the particular conformation depending on the nature of the articles to be marked. In the present form of the invention the recesses are oval in shape because that shape best ts the nuts 53.

The recesses 52 are open at the bottom, at 54, as indicated. Into this opening a small portion of the article 53 will project. The amount projecting will vary slightly with objects of different sizes, but the variation will be slight. The openings 54 may be shaped according to the shape of the article or instead, they may be shaped according to the shape of the mark that is to be placed on the article. In the present instance, the oval shape of the opening lls both requirements.

Near t'o' and below' the piece 45 and the tail pieces 46, the chains 49, supporting the carrier bars 58, are carried on idler sprockets 55, mount- Ved on shaft 56 which is journaled in bearings 51 and 58 mounted adjustably on the horizontal frame pieces 23 and 26. Bolts 59 and 68 on each Side pass through slots in the bearing supports or in the frame members and may be loosened and Ythe bearings moved one way or the other to tighten or loosen the belt 48. The same movement also adjusts the distance between the belt 48 and the hopper 35.V Grease cups 6|, or any other available means, may b-e provided to keep the bearings oiled.

Upward and towards the middle of the machine from the idler sprockets 55 are sprockets 62 and 63, engaging the chains 49, and keyed to shaft 64, whichis journalled in bearings 65, fastened, as by bolts 85, to the top frame members 22 and 25, on each side. The shaft 64 extends beyond the bearings on each side of the machine to receive other sprocket wheels and cams.

Near the end of the machine away from idler sprockets 54 and 55 and near the top of the machine, are drive sprockets 61 and 68 over which chains 49 pass carrying the carrier bars 58. These sprockets are keyed to shaft 69 which is `journalled in bearings 18 fastened to frame members 22 and 25 in the usual way. Shaft 69 is extended at one end to receive driven sprocket 1| which is keyed to the shaft.

Below the drive sprockets 61 and 68, and somewhat nearer the middle of the length of the machine, are idler sprockets 12, mounted on shaft 12a which is journalled in bearings 13 'mounted on the frame members 23 and 26. 'Ihe carrier belt thus runs on four pairs of sprockets, one drive sprocket, one driven sprocket and two idler sprockets. The path of travel is upward from the iirst idler sprocket and from the hopper, over the driven sprocket, over the drive sprocket, down to the second idler sprocket and thence loosely back to the starting point.

Near the hopper 35 and immediately above a part of the upward slope of the carrier belt 4-8, is a revolving brush of uniform cylindrical shape 14, which in use is rotated so that the part nearest the belt is traveling in a direction opposite to that of the travel of the belt. 'I'his brush keeps back any surplus nuts that may appear upon the belt and helps to seat the nuts in the depressions in the carrier bars. The b-rushis mounted on shaft 15, which is journalled in bearings 16 and 11. The bearings 16 and 11 are mounted adjustably upon angular frame pieces 18 aiorded for the purpose, attached to the two adjacent uprights 2|, and to the sheet metal triangular enclosing members 19 which serve to enclose the side ascending portion of the carrier belt. The bearings are adjustable to raise or lower the brush, in the usual manner, such as by slots in the frame or in the base of the bearing, not shown in the drawings. The shaft 15 is extended at the left hand side of the machine, tov carry the driven sprocket 88, which is keyed to the shaft. A chain 8|, passing around sprocket 82, which is keyed to the shaft 64 of the sprockets 62 and 63, turned by force transmitted through the carrier chains 49, causes sprocket 82 and the brush 14 to revolve when the carrier chain is in motion.

Below the ascending portion of the carrier belt 48 and in position to support it if it should tend to sag are supporting slide members 83 supported'by the leg members 84 and 85 through the medium of angle irons and bolts in the usual way.

Above the horizontal portion of the carrier belt 48 between the driven sprockets 62 and 63 and drive sprocket 1| is a further set of brushes to adjust the nuts in the recesses in the carrier belt and cause them to be seated properly therein. The brushes 86 and 81 are flat and are mounted upon supporting frame members 88 and 89 with the ends of the bristles either upon or adjacent to the carrier bars 58. At the end away from the hopper 35, frame members 88 and 89 are fastened, as by bolting or riveting, to a cross frame member 98. These frame members 88, 89 and 98 are commonly L shaped in cross section, but the shape is a matter of choice.

At each end of the cross frame 98 means is provided either by the use of angle irons or by bending one side of the L for a fastening by a bolt or pin parallel to the long axis of the member. By means of such bolts or pins 8| and 92, links 93 and 94 are pivotally secured to each end of the cross frame member 98. The links 93 and 94 are adjustably secured by bolts 95 passing through slotted holes 96 to links 91 and 88, which in turn are pivotally connected to top frame members 22 and 25.

The other ends of the frame members 88 and 89 are bent inwardly at an angle at a point just short of the brushes from the hopper end of the machine, and the inwardly turned ends are fastened as by bolts 99 and |88, to the bearing |81. A cross piece |82 is fastened to the frame members 88 and 39 between the bend and the brushes. To the middle of the cross piece is attached a second bearing |83 in line with the first 8|.

Through bearings |8| and |83 but not extending beyond bearings |83 Ytowards the brushes is a shaft |84 which is locked rotatably in place in the bearings by the collars and |86 placed on the shaft between the bearings, and secured by set screws |81 and |88.

On the outer end of the shaft |84 is a connecting collar |89 having an opening to receive the outer end of the shaft and a` set screw to hold it securely in place, and having an aperture at right angles to the axis of the shaft |84 to receive a pin H8. The pin ||8 carrying the collar |89 and va spring totake up slack passes between the ends 'of a substantially U-shaped cam rider ||2 being held in place by lock nuts ||3 or in any other suitable way. 'I'he cam rider |2 is not fully U-shaped because what would .be

`the bottom of the' U bridged overto form a circular opening which receives rotatably the central part of a grooved wheel H4.

The grooved wheel ||4 is mounted rotatably upon an angularly disposed extension H5 of shaft H6, being held in place by a collar ||1 provided with a set screw I8.

Shaft ||6 is journalled inbearings H9 and |29 which are mounted upon a cross member |2| fastened to main frame members 22 and 25. Bolting appears to be the most satisfactory way of fastening these various parts together.

An end of the shaft ||6 extends beyond frame -member on the left hand side of the machine and to it is keyed a sprocket |22 which cooperates with a chain |23 driven by sprocket |24 keyed to shaft |25 to rotate shaft ||6.and cause the brushes 86 and 81 to be moved by the camming action of the angular extension H5. The brushes are Vgiven a forward and back motion, `the pivoted links 93 and 94, and 91and 38 allowing movement in that direction, anda sideways motion, the. same links allowing a` twisting movement. This complex movement of the brushes will seat in their sockets all the nuts on the carrier belt passing under the brushes and borne upon by them.

f Shaft |25 carrying the sprocket |24 keyed thereto is journalled in bearings |26 and |21 mounted on frame members 23 and 26. Inside the frame member 23 at the right handside of the machine and keyed to shaftl25 is a pulley wheel |28 which is adapted to receive a belt |29 V-shaped in cross section. The belt |29 is driven by a similar but smaller pulley |36 on the motor I3! which is disposed at the right hand side of the machine on a supporting platform |32 mounted upon a brace |33 connecting the frame members 23 and 24 at the right hand side of the machine.

It is at once apparent that any available form of power may be used to operate the machine, and that the invention is not limited to the use of an electric motor as shown. By a slight rearrangement any prime mover could be used driving the machine through a belt.

The right hand end of shaft |25 extends beyond frame member 23 and carries keyed to it a small driving belt wheel |34 adapted to receive a belt |35 which may be of the V type. Belt |35 passes also around a second driven pulley |36, a large belt wheel upon shaft |31 which is journalled in bearings attached to the brace member |33 and not shown in the drawings. Alsoupon the outside of and substantially integral with shaft |31 and the driven wheel |36,is a sprocket |38 adapted to drive a chain |39 which in turn drives a large sprocket wheel 'il keyed to shaft 69.

It has been found best to make the large wheels |23 and |36 and 1| of a diameter of sixteen inches, the motor pulley |39 and belt wheel |34 of a diameter of four inches, and the small sprocket |38 of a diameter of six inches. Thus there-is a series of reductions in the speed of rotation of the various wheels and shafts connected with this part of the driving mechanism. Except as here set forth the members ofthe pairs of driving and driven wheels are approximately equal in size so that there is no appreciable increase in or reduction of speed of rotation. 'Alterations in these respects would be in order if a different source of power wereused or its speed changed.

The shaft 69, rotated by the whee11l, actuat'es the `,driven sprockets 61 and-68 which-cooperate with the links "of the chains 49 and cause the carrier belt to move.

`Under the brushes 86 and 81 and with its up- 'per edge bearing lightly upon the bottoms of the carrier bars 59 as they are moved past, is a strip |4| of rubber or like resilient and flexible material clamped between strips |42 and |43 which are bolted to cross piece |44. Cross piece |44 is mounted for vertical adjustment on the bottoms of screw rods |45 to which are fastened knobs |46 for easy operation. The screw rods pass through threaded apertures in brackets |41 and Y|43 fastened to the frame members 22 and 25,

and are provided with lock nuts. Instead of passing Ythe rods through threaded apertures they may simply be provided with two nuts, one to hold the position and the other to lock the first in place. The rubber strip- |4| serves to raise the nuts slightly in the depressions in the carrier bars, thus aiding the brushes 86 and 81 in assuring proper placement ofY the nuts in the depressions.

The inking and printing apparatus of the machine is mounted, all but the ink supply pump, between two triangular frame members |49, which are held in proper relation to each other by shouldered tie rods |50, |5| and |52. The entire carriage thus formed is pivoted for vertical adjustment on shaft 64, one end of each frame |49 being supported by that shaft.

The other end of thecarriage is supported by two screw rods |53 and |54 which are pivotally fastened to the carriage by rivets or by other suitble means passing through eyes in the rods. Fromk 'the fastening the rods pass upwards through holes in frame members 22 and 25. The upper ends of the rods are threaded and extend well above frame members 22 and 25 and through a cross piece |55 which is supported above frame members 22 and 25 by rigidly fastened links |56 and |51. Above the cross member two sprocket wheels |53 and |59 of equal size, appropriately drilled and threaded, are threaded onto the screw rods |53 and |54, and bearing upon the cross piece |55 support the screw rods in place. About both sprocket wheels |58 and |59 is a chain |66 which insures that if one sprocket wheel is turned to raise or lower the screw rod and the carriage, the other sprocket will turn an equal amount to raise or lower the other rod and the other side of the carriage. Thus once the carriage is properly adjusted in a level position it will always remain level while it is raised or lowered. To operate the twosprocket wheels |58 and |59, a crank handle |6| is fastened to one of them.

The printing of the marks or brands upon the nuts is done by a printing roller |62. The printing pads |63 of rubber or some other suitable material are set in depressions |65 in bars |64 which extend from end to end of the roller, the pads being fastened in the depressions by means of an adhesive, or if desired, by other means such as small screws. The number 0f depressions and printing pads in each bar is the same as the number of depressions in each carrier bar 59 and will be placed the same distance apart. In the form shown the carrier bars have each five depressions, so that the carrier belt carries ve rows of nuts. The printing bars accordingly each have ve depressions and printing pads which coincide with the apertures l54 in the carrier bars. A portion of each printing pad protrudes from the depression in which it is fastened and on the protruding end is the stamp or design which it iis -desired to .imprint upon the nuts.

The .bars |64 are mounted on the printing roller in `such a way rthat .the .lines of printing padsare separated by a distance equal to .that between .the .apertures .in adjacent .carrier bars 150. Upon the printing-roller |62 there .are fiat faces |.66 as many in number as the number of bars |64 intended to t thereon. Ihe reverse face of each .bar is correspondingly flat and the flat faces of roller .and bars are coextensive. The sides of the bars are substantially perpendicular to the reverse face thereof, so that when the bars are in place on the roller there is a V-shaped ,opening between them. `Into this .opening Ais inserted a metal wedge |-61 through which extends a socket headed screw |68, :thehead thereof Vbeing adapted to lie flush with `the surface of the wedge 4and to be turned with a hexagonal wrench inserted into the socket of the head. Threaded-holes are provided in the roller |62 between the bars |164, and the screws are turned into these holes, wedging the bars |64 securely in place. Should one of the bars |64 become .damaged or worn or for any other reason require replacement, the wedge .is loosened, .the bar withdrawn `and Vanother substituted therefor while the `roller is in place in the A.machine and without requiring a complete dismantling of the roller andwithout requiring more than a .few minutes time.

When .one of the rubber printing pads becomes defective it is merely pulled out of its hole and another inserted in its place after having adhesive applied thereto. The same procedure is ffollowed when all of the pads are changed.

The printing .roller |62 is keyed to shaft |69 which is journalled in bearings |10 attached to Aframe members |49 at the end of the carriage .supported by the screw rods |53 and |54 and farthest removed from that which is pivoted on shaft 64. The right hand end of the shaft |69 protrudes through a hole in frame |49 and bears keyed thereto a sprocket |1| identical in size and l in line with sprocket |12 which is keyed to shaft 64, which `also has keyed to it the sprockets .62 and .63 which support the carrier belt, ,so that the belt in moving turns shaft 64 and so drives sprocket |12 and by a chain |13, the sprocket |1| which in turn moves the printing roller |62. vBetween sprocket |1| `and frame |49 is a gear Wheel -|14 .keyed to shaft |69. A second gear wheel |15 is in mesh therewith and is keyed to shaft v|16 which is journalled in bearings |11 vand |18, mounted upon frames |49. On shaft |16 between frames y|49 is a rubber roller |19. "The circumference of the rubber roller |19 is in Contact with the faces of the printing pad |63 .as

`each row of them is towards such roller, and

the roller is of such length as to touch Vall the pads.

Inside the frame |49 but at the left end of the rubber roller |19, a third gear wheel |80 is keyed to the shaft |16. This meshes with a fourthgear wheel |8| which in turn is in mesh with a fifth |82.

Gear wheel 8| is long enough to allow end play without becoming unmeshed. It is keyed to shaft |83 which has also keyed to it a brass roller |84. The teeth of gears |80, |8| and |82 are deeply cut to allow some change in the separation of the shafts.

Shaft |83 is journalled in bearings |85 and |86 at the end of an inner carriage |81. This end `is lfree except for rods 256 fastened to collars 251 aow-,afro

and kcarrying springs`258 -which press downward .on the .carriage and upward .on 'brackets v259, bolted to frames |49, through which the rods 256 also pass, .their `motion downward being limited adjustably :by nuts 'i260 on protruding ends of the rods, which are threaded for the purpose. A lock nut 26| is provided on each rod. The spring .258 urges the shaft |83 downward and the brass roll |84 into close contact with'the other rollers |19 Vand v21| with which yit cooperates.

The inner carriage .|81 .consists of the links |88 which support thexshaft 1,83 adjustably fastened to links |90, by 'bolts |89 passing through slotted holes |92. The lower ends of links |90 bear collars |9|a .coinciding ywith .holes in the links, and rod |93 passesthrough the collar and the links .and is held vrigidlyby nuts |94 on the threaded ends of the rod to two `brackets |95 secured to iframes |49 by bolts J86. The entire inner carriage |81 is thus pivoted at its lower end.

The 'bearings |85 and shaft |83 as well as the gear :wheel |8| are adapted to allow an endwise motion to be imparted to the brass roller 84 .whileit is 1in rotary motion. lThis endwise motion of the brass `roller is provided by an arm |91, Ipivoted near its middle point by bolt |98 on a fulcrum 9| attached `as by bolts |99 to the .inner carriage |81. At the end of the brass roller I 84 and securely fastened, as 'by .a set screw, to the shaft :atrthe end opposite that occupied by the .gear wheel `|8| is a grooved collar200. At the end of `the arm '|91 is a roller 20| which `fits into .the groove :20.2 of the collar 200, being free `enough to`bear von one side or the other of that groove.

On the other end of arm |91 isa second roller 203 which works in the same Way in an angularly disposed groove 204 in a collar 205 which is placed to rotate upon rod |93 and restrained from endwise motion by a collar with a set screw, or by a shoulder on the rod or some other suitable means. Collar 205 lis caused to rotate through the medium of a sprocket 206 integral therewith .and a chain 201 running over sprocket 206 and over another sprocket 208 keyed `to shaft |16. Shaft |16 in turning causes collar 205 to turn. Roller 203 follows `the angularly disposed groove and causes the arm |91 to oscillate, thus moving lthe opposite end of the arm and through the roller 20| in the groove 202 Ain collar 200 im parting an endwise motion to fthe brass roller. The surface of the vbrass roller |84 is in rolling contact 4with the rubber roller |19, and as the .two rotate the 'brass roller slides back and forth on fits axis. The brass roller 4| 84 and its gear wheel |8| are slightly smaller than the rubber roller |19 and its gear wheel |15, so that only once in the course of lmany revolutions will any two particular spots'on the ltwo rollers be together.

Theifth gear wheel |82 is 'keyed to a shaft 209 which is journalled in bearings 2|0 mounted upon frames |49. In rolling contact with the lbrass roll |84, 'shaft 209 bears a felt roller 2| The felt roller and its driving gear wheel |82 are of slightly different diameters than the brass roller |84 and its gear Wheel |8| so that the two rollers :present'to `each other la constantly chang- Ving surface.

Above the Y'felt roller 2| are ink drips 2 |2 which serve to keep Ithe felt roll saturated with ink. There maybe as many of these ink drips as is desired, but it is found best to 'have enough of them to keep the Vink substantially uniform over `the entire `length of the felt roller. Where ve rows of nuts are being marked, four or five ink drips serve the purpose. They consist of a cup 2 I3 and a spout 2 I4. The size of the orice of the spout determines the amount of ink that will be v5 supplied to the rolls.

The ink drips are mounted upon a bar 2 |5 which is fastened, as by nuts 2|6 on threaded ends 2|1 of the bar 2I5, to supports 2|8, which in turn are rigidly mounted upon rod |93 by means of collars 2| 9 and set screws 226.. The position of the ink drips may be changed by turning the rod |93 or by turning the supports 2| 8 on the rod |93 after loosening the set screws 220.

Ink is supplied to the cups 2|3 in any suitable Way, but in the present form of the device an ink pump was found to be satisfactory. The pump 22| is mounted upon a cross piece 22|a attached to frame members 23 and 26 and is of the conventional type. It is operated by ay reciprocating rod 222 attached to a crank plate 223 which is keyed to the end of shaft 64 and turns as the carrier belt moves. The lower end of the rod 222 passes through a collar 224 rigidly fastened thereto, a spring 225, a washer, 226, and a crank pin 221, and its end is threaded to receive nuts 228 which hold the rod and a collar 229 in place.

The crank pin 221 operates a lever arm 239 which is secured to a shaft 23| protruding from the pump casing. The lever arm is provided with several holes 232 into which the crank pin may be inserted for adjusting the degree of rotation of the arm. The downward movement of the arm is limited by a stop 233 against which the 35 end of the arm hits. The stop is attached to frame member 26 by a bracket 234 and a bolt 235. When the arm 239 is stopped short of its lowest position, the spring 225 allows for the further motion of the rod 222.

From the side of the pump 22| a pipe 236 protrudes and to the pipe are attached tubes 231 which convey the ink upwards from the pump and into the drip cups 2|3.

Directly above the location at which the print- 45 ing pads |63 press upon the nuts in the recesses of the carrier belt is a roller 238 made of sections 239 of soft sponge rubber. The sections 239 are in the nature of rings which are slipped into place upon a base roller 240 which may be 50 of any desired material but should not be too heavy. The width of the rings or sections 239 is a little less than the distance between centers of the recesses 52 in the carrier bars 59. They are placed on the base roller 248 in such position 55 that when the entire roller 238 is centered above the carrier belt 48 each section of sponge rubber will be in position to press upon nuts in the recesses 52. The roller 238 is fastened to shaft 24| which is journalled to rotate freely but without end motion in bearings 242 at the ends of support pieces 243, which are set apart only far enough to let the roller turn freely between them without appreciable end motion. Support pieces 243 are adjustably fastened to support (i5 pieces 244 by bolts 245 passing through slotted holes 246. Support pieces 244 are attached to a rod 241 by collars 248 and set screws 249, and

rod 241 is held by nuts 259 without end motion but free to turn in brackets 25|, which are bolted 70 to frame members 22 and 25.

The sponge rubber roller 233 is thus held in position resting of its own weight upon the carrier bars 59 and the nuts in the recesses 52 of the carrier bars, as they pass under it, the mo- 75 tion of the carrier belt causing the roller to turn.

The soft rubber sponge of the roller allows for any inequalities in the size of the nuts carried by the belt and holds them all securely in place while the printing pads press on the under side thereof and imprint the desired mark or brand.

A dust shield 252 fastened to frames |49 is provided over all of the'printing and inking apparatus except the printing roller |62, which must be clear to press upon the articles to be marked. A drip pan 253 is likewise provided, fastened to frames |49, under the inking and printing ap paratus to prevent any ink from falling ontothe under surface of the carrier belt and causing defacing marks upon the articles later placed therein.

Upon shaft 69 and keyed thereto between the driving sprockets 51 and 68, which mesh with the chains 49 to move the carrier belt 48, is a cylinder 254 upon which are projecting pins 255, placed to intrude through the apertures 54 under the recesses 52 into the recesses from the under side of the belt 48, thus forcing out of the recesses the branded objects seated therein. This forcing out occurs as the belt moves over the sprockets 61 and 68. The branded articles thus forced out of the belt fall into the sacking chute 36. The belt, freed of its load by the projecting pins, passes beneath the machine and back to the loading point.

The operation of the machine is clear. The nuts or other articles to be marked are loaded into the hopper 35. The tail pieces 46 on the bottom of the hopper and the flexible bottom 44 and 45 are slowly vibrated by the passage beneath them of the carrier bars 59 and the depressions and 81 which seat them in their places, aided in this by the rubber strip I4! which raises them slightly to allow a readjustment. As thus seated the nuts project only slightly from the openings 94 in the bottoms of the. recesses, this amount of projection being fairly constant. After being seated properly in the recesses the nuts are passed between the printing roller |52 which applies inked rubber printing pads |63 to their under surface, and the sponge rubber roller 238 which presses on their top surfaces to hold them in place while the printing pads are applied.

Continuing to the. end of the top path of the belt the nuts are forced from their places by pins 255 and fall into the chute 36 for sacking.

In the inking and printing mechanism, the ink is forced by pump 22| into dripcups 2|3 whence spouts 2 I4 allow it to drip at the proper rate upon the felt roller 2| I, into which it soaks. The brass roller |84 pressed upon the felt roller and also upon the rubber roller |19 by springs 259 moves at the same surface speed as the felt roller but reciprocates endwise and is of different size than the other two rollers, thus distributing the ink on the felt roller, as well as upon itself, and applying it evenly upon the rubber roller which in turn applies it to the printing pads |63 as they are carried past by the printing roller |62.

It is obvious that in the construction of machines according to this invention various modications as to material, means of fastening, source of power, mode of power transmission and arrangement of the different parts and the like lwill become expedient and such variations ,are included within the scope of this invention.

What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A nut marking device comprising an apertured carrier, moving brushes thereabove, printing pads therebeneath, and mechanical pressure means opposed to said pads directly opposite said pads and above said carrier.

2. A marking device comprising a hopper having a movable bottom part, a conveyor having cup-shaped apertures in the top surface thereof and opening onto the bottom surface thereof, movable brushes above said conveyor and approximate the upper surface thereof, resisting means above said belt conveyor, a printing roller below said conveyor and under said resisting means.

3. In a marking device, a conveyor unit comprising a bar having openings therethrough, cup shaped from the top surface of said bar and smaller at the bottom surface of said bar than at the top surface thereof, the opening at the top surface of the bar being larger than the object to be marked, and the opening at the lower surface being smaller than such object, whereby the object may be carried in the opening with its bottom surface exposed.

4. In combination with a conveyor having depressions therein, and rotative power supply means, means for seating articles in said depressions comprising flat brushes mounted on a movable frame, and means for moving said frame and brushes comprising a rotating shaft, an angularly offset shaft on one end thereof, a rider on said angularly offset shaft, and pivoted coupling means between said rider and said movable frame.

5. In a branding device having a vertically movable printing frame, Vertical adjusting and holding means for said frame comprising nonrotating threaded rods upon said frame, threaded sprocket wheels on said threaded rods, support means for said sprocket wheels, a chain about said sprocket wheels, `and means for manually turning said sprocket wheels.

l 6. A printing roller comprising a core member having flat faces about its periphery and threaded holes between said faces, a plurality of recessed bars adapted to lie on the at faces of said core member, rubber printing pads removably secured in the recesses in said bars, wedge blocks tapered toward the center of said core, adapted to t between said bars on said core member to hold the bars on the core member and having holes therein aligned with the holes between the faces on said core member, and headed studs extending through the holes in said wedge blocks and threaded into the threaded holes in said core member, whereby to secure said wedge blocks to the core and hold said bars in place on said core.

7. In combination with a conveyor having article holding means therein, means for receiving articles to be carried by said conveyor, a lip on said means and movable adjacent said conveyor, and means for moving said lip, said lip moving means keeping said lip adjacent a holding means in said conveyor over a selected portion of the travel of the conveyor, and then moving said lip to adjacent a succeeding holding means in said conveyor, whereby to load articles into said holding means.

8. A printing rollercomprising a core member having flat faces about its periphery and threaded `holes between said faces, a plurality of printing bars adapted to lie on the flat faces of said core member, wedge blocks tapered toward the center of said core member adapted to fit between said bars on said core member and having holes therein aligned with the holes between the faces on said core member, and headed studs extending through the holes in said wedge blocks and threaded into the threaded holes in said core member, whereby to secure said wedge blocks between said bars and hold said bars in place on said core.

9. The method of marking nuts which comprises the steps of arranging the nuts in selected angular positions in a selected path by agitating them from above, moving them along such path while sustaining them in such selected angular positions, and marking the bottom portions of` selected angular positions for printing, which comprises moving the objects along a selected path, and agitating the objects by moving contacts with the upper portions thereof 1n a plurality of directions in a plane parallel to the selected path.

l1. A nut marking device comprising an apertured carrier, means above the carrier for seating nuts in the apertures thereof by moving contacts therewith, printing means beneath the carrier, and mechanical pressure means above the carrier and opposite said printing means.

12. A nut marking device comprising an apertured carrier, means above the carrier adapted to move over the carrier to seat nuts in the apertures thereof, printing means beneath the carrier, and means above the carrier and opposite the printing means for applying mechanical pressure to nuts in the apertures.

13. A nut marking device comprising an apertured carrier, means above the carrier adapted to move over the carrier in contact with nuts on the carrier to seat the nuts in the apertures thereof, resilient printing means beneath the carrier and adapted to contact nuts in the apertures from beneath, and resilient means above the carrier and opposite the printing means for resiliently applying mechanical pressure to nuts in the apertures.

14. A nut marking device comprising an apertured carrier, brushes adapted to move in a plurality of directions in a plane above the carrier as the carrier moves to orientate and seat nuts in the apertures in the carrier, resilient printing means, and resilient nut holding means, said printing means and said holding means being so positioned that the carrier passes between them as it moves and being operable upon the nuts after they are orientated and seated in the apertures in the carrier to print upon the nuts from one side and to hold the nuts from the other side while they are being printed.

15. The method of marking nuts which comprises the steps of arranging the nuts in selected angular positions in a selected path by agitating them from above, moving them along such path while sustaining them in such selected angular positions, holding the nuts from above against disarrangement, and marking the bottom portions of such nuts from beneath.

' JOHN E. TRUNK.

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